Does Masters hopeful Campbell have champion's look?

Commentary: Does Campbell have champion's look?More thinking than implied by his vacant stare

BUCK HARVEY, Copyright 2009 San Antonio Express-News

Published 5:30 am, Sunday, April 12, 2009

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Chad Campbell spits as if he’s playing a West Texas muni, and that leaves the Augusta National ground crew confused. Should they dab the ground, or dive to intercept?

Campbell also spits up leads. He did three years ago here, and he did Saturday. Combine that with his look — the vacant one — and no one trusts him today.

But at his worst Saturday, when he appeared to aim in precisely the wrong place, and when he appeared to compound the mistake with precisely the wrong decision, there were encouraging signs.

For one, he was thinking.

That news will shock those who think they know Campbell by his body language. Texas has produced short, wired golfers such as Hogan, Kite and Leonard, and here comes Campbell, with an easy, portly smile. If he would wear one of Shingo Katayama’s cowboy hats, the stereotype would be complete.

That was even true Thursday, when he began as no one ever had at Augusta. Campbell started with five straight birdies, and fans shouted “63,” encouraging him to tie the course record.

“I was pretty excited,” Campbell said then, and that was a giveaway.

Photo: Andrew Redington, Getty Images

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Chad Campbell lines up a putt on the first green during the third round of the 2009 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.

Chad Campbell lines up a putt on the first green during the third round of the 2009 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.

Photo: Andrew Redington, Getty Images

Does Masters hopeful Campbell have champion's look?

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Campbell wasn’t controlling his emotions, was he?

A guy’s guy

Maybe not. Campbell was 9 under that first day when he stood over a birdie putt on No. 16. He missed, and what followed is another reason not to believe. Campbell is even par since.

That’s the look of someone with more physical talent than mental, and a reporter asked Jim Furyk about this.

Anything in there?

“He’s not boisterous or loud,” Furyk said. “But I think people tend to collect around Chad, if that makes sense … he’s a guy’s guy, someone you want to hang out with and be around.”

This guy’s guy is the son of a onetime oil foreman, and he doesn’t feel the need to let people know how smart he is. When he was asked if he likes not being in the final group today, because there will be less pressure, he wasn’t sarcastic or reflective.

“I would rather be in the final group, obviously,” he said, smiling, “because you’d be a couple shots better.”

He also doesn’t throw clubs in anger or furrow his brow with concern. He doesn’t do much of anything. As Hunter Mahan was saying the other day, you can’t tell if Campbell is 8 over or 8 under.

Still, because of this, his mistakes appear careless. And one came Saturday, on the same 16th green where he stopped making birdies that first day.

Great shot, wrong club

Then he had 173 yards into the wind, and he hit a 6-iron. “It was great shot,” he said. “It was the wrong club.”

Everyone laughed.

“It’s just a mistake you can’t really make,” he added. “That’s the only place on that hole you can’t hit it.”

Nick Faldo said the same during the television broadcast. But Faldo implied Campbell should have known better.

Faldo was also critical of what followed. Campbell faced a short-side sand shot with the green sloping away, and he left the shot in the sand.

Faldo said Campbell should have “taken his medicine.” Hogan, Kite and Leonard would have, right?

Campbell saw it this way: If he missed short and stayed in the sand, he would then have an uphill blast. He could keep that near the hole.

He did. His mistake was missing the five-foot putt.

That double bogey is all that separates him and the leaders. But the difference looks vast right now, when that’s all it is.